Brianne Means Strong
by Ze Author Formerly Known as Half-Blood Princess7
Summary: Molly, age 15, is handling a new school and a new identity. And she discovered what a crush is. For the first time. R&R folks, R&R. Know it. Live by it.
1. Depression

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Der. **

**A/N: This story is set in 1995, Harry is a 5th year at this point.**

Brianne watched mournfully as her brother Apparated with their father to King's Cross, on their way to Hogwarts. It was his 5th year, and it should have been for her, too, if her parents had not Erased her from the world.

Narcissa and Lucius did not like to talk about their daughter. She was Draco's twin that nobody knew about, a secret between the four of them. Brianne sighed as the loud _Crack!_ emanated from the spot where Draco and father had been.

Erasing is a type of spell in which one can literally make people forget about another person. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, all of them. Brianne longed to see the outside world, to learn magic, to meet people, and, most importantly, love people.

Being in the family that she was, she was not loved. Brianne was a Squib and the only reason they did not kill her was because Narcissa felt some deep, indescribable love for her. This love was more out of the fact that they were both oppressed women in the family, not exactly love, but a connection. But this wasn't what Brianne wanted, not at all. She wanted actual love. To kiss someone. To hold someone. And she long ached for this.

Bri was stirred from her thoughts as her mother shouted at her.

"I'm going over to the Goyle mansion, Mrs. Goyle is terribly ill. Don't wreck the house, I'll be gone for a few days. Your father, as you know, has some Ministry business in Scandinavia, he'll be gone about a week. And clean up this house, ever since Dobby left this place has been a pig sty!"

Brianne was used to being home alone with nobody but her eagle owl, Donagh, to keep her company. But he was gone—she had let him out a few days ago to catch mice, but he hadn't returned. She sighed and got to work.

A few hours later, Brianne heard tapping at the window. Once, twice, three times. That was how Donagh asked to be let in. Excitedly, she ran towards the window.

"Hi sweetie. I missed you!" Brianne stroked him for a few moments before she noticed the letter tied to his leg. Feeding him an owl treat, she took the letter and unraveled it. As she read, her jaw dropped.

**I like to leave a cliffhanger. I keep 'em short for the first chapter so I can get feedback, but please review so I can decide to continue!**


	2. The Letter

There, in scrawly writing, was the letter that changed Brianne's life forever:

_We have found you. We know who you are. We are coming for you at 3 am tomorrow morning.. Do not respond. It is too risky._

_Signed,_

_The OoTP_

What the hell was an Ootp? They couldn't possibly be Dark wizards, the friends and allies of her family, but they didn't seem very nice, either._ We know who you are._ That was very creepy. Something wasn't right. She hoped Lucius and Narcissa had Protected the house. Brianne shivered. She stroked Donagh and returned to her work.

Brianne, although she was blocked from the outside world, knew probably more about the wizarding world than Draco did. Donagh, a rather large owl, routinely brought her books from the local Flourish and Blotts (a chain library? Now what?). Big deal. So she had read every book on magic available, but she had never even touched a wand, or a broomstick, or a cauldron.

In hopes that it was just a joke, Bri shrugged it off and began scrubbing the floors, Donagh moving the bucket of soapy water from here to there. Around 10 pm, she ate a meager meal of Ramen Noodles and a glass of milk, fed Donagh the rest, and went to bed.

Around 2:30 am, Bri was having a very nice dream about an incredibly hot actor named Orlando Bloom when she was rudely awoken by multiple _Crack!_'s and Donagh screeching loudly.

"Whah--Huh? Mmph!" Bri said groggily. She did not like to be woken up, especially when nobody was home. She looked at her watch that glowed in the dark.

"What the hell? It's 2:37 in the morning! Why—" and then she remembered the mysterious note she had gotten and her stomach sank clear through to her toes. She grabbed the nearest make-shift weapon—in this case it was _1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi_—and brandished it at the figures moving around in her room.

"I don't know who the frick you are, but you better get out of here if you know what's good for you!" She remembered a news article she had read in the _Prophet_ about a group of rapists. Somebody Illuminated their wand. A group of men was standing at the foot of her bed. Holy shit, I'm going to be raped! She thought.

A tall, dark-skinned man approached Bri. "Now, Bri, put the book down."

"Yeah, right. Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"Whatever we say to you, do not repeat it to any of your family members."

"Who are you?" Bri did not put down the book, but she had jumped out of the bed with the book in her hand, cocked at the ready to strike any one of them.

"We are the Order of the Phoenix, and we are here to save you."

"Did you send that note?" Brianne relaxed a little now. These people were with Dumbledore, unless they were imposters.

"Yes, I wrote it," A man stepped from the shadows into the wandlight. He had a peg-leg and an enormous blue eye that did not match the small, beady one on the other side of his scarred face. Bri accidentally emitted a small yelp.

"What did you write?" the dark-skinned man asked the man with the weird eye.

"Well…I wrote something like, 'We know who you are and where you live and we are coming for you tonight. Do not respond, it's too risky," the man growled. The dark-skinned man laughed.

"Moody, you are a damn fool. You probably scared the living bajeezus out of the girl! I'm sorry Bri, I thought old Mad-Eye here would have done a better job with that godforsaken letter. I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt. That is Alastor Moody, that is Dedalus Diggle, that is Arabella Figg, right there is Mr. Remus Lupin, and over in the corner there is Nymphadora Tonks." Realizing that she was in good hands, she set her book on her bed. With a glance in the mirror, she suddenly remembered that she was in her pajamas—a tank top and undies!

"Holy crap, can I get dressed?" Bri asked, her face turning red.

"Er…" Kingsley looked embarassed.

"Gosh, Bri, your undies say _Tuesday!_ And it's _Wednesday!_" Tonks burst into a fit of giggles.

"Quiet, Nymphadora. I suppose you better get some clothes on, dear." Mrs. Figg said.

Bri grabbed some jeans, a t-shirt, underwear, and a bra and shuffled out the of the room, hopeful that a hole would open up from the Earth and swallow her whole.

In the safety of the bathroom, she pulled off her cami and panties, and put on fresh clothes. And brushed her hair. And teeth. And she put on some Mango Mandarin Lotion, too (a/n that is my favorite scent!). She could hear the group conversing in her bedroom, but not enough to know what was going on. Bri walked back to the group with plenty of things going through her mind.

"So…why is everybody here, in my bedroom, at this time of night?" Bri inquired.

Nymphadora stepped forward. "We've found out about you, and we're springing you from here. This year, you will start school at Hogwarts with a new identity."

"But how did you find out about me? I was Erased from the world!" Brianne was dumbfounded.

"When every magical child is born, a quill writes it down automatically. Kingsley here happened to be going through those documents when he found your name. We decided to investigate."

"But I possess no magical powers. I read all kinds of magic books, but I'm a Squib. That's why my parents Erased me. They didn't want to kill me but they didn't want anyone to find out about me, either."

"Obviously, you do, honey. Otherwise, we wouldn't be standing in your room at 3 o'clock in the morning," said Mrs. Figg.

"Erm. OK. Soo…?"

"Well, pack up your things and load them onto your broom--"

"I don't have a broom," Bri interrupted. "Or a wand, or a trunk, or anything, really—just a robe and some Muggle clothes. And Donagh here," she added as Donagh knicked her on the ear playfully.

"Well, find something to put your clothes in, and then we're off, miss." Said Dedalus Diggle. Not much later, Brianne was ready to go, Donagh perched on her shoulder, since he hadn't a cage. And with that, they set off, all on brooms (Bri was on Mrs. Figg's broomstick). And so the adventure began.


	3. New Beginning

**Cainabella and I are endorsing each other. Be sure to check out her story, _The Jokers Unite_, or else we will turn you into a toad!**

**Reviews:**

**Cainabella: Why, thank you! It's so nice to know that you would have flamed me if you didn't know who I was…But I love you too!**

**Misfit2008: As my first true review, I want to thank you so much! It makes me feel really great!**

Flying was a terrifying experience for Bri. She was so scared, blisters formed on her hands from holding on so tightly. Her eyes were squeezed shut. The balmy summer night was clear and calm, and the stars were mottled against the sky, but Bri daren't open her eyes. It seemed like centuries passed from the time they started out to the time that Moody, from the head of the fleet, grumbled, "You can open your eyes now, Malfoy."

"How—How--" Bri was confused. Kingsley, riding next to she and Mrs. Figg, winked at her.

"It's 'is eye. Old fart. Crazy as a drunk goblin, but clever as a sober goblin, he is."

"Hardy har, Shacklebolt. Yer gonna wanna look down, Ms. Malfoy," Moody said.

Bri's heart skipped a beat as she looked down on the Hogwarts Grounds. She had never seen anything more magnificent, or terrible, in her life. It was ominous and brilliant at the same time. Nothing frightened her or enchanted her more. The high towers, the gigantian forest, the bottomless lake, the Quidditch pitch. It was amazing.

The descent was fast and smooth. It was all Bri could do to keep from kissing the ground.

"C'mon, let's get inside." Remus muttered. The sun was beginning to rise now, so he and Moody extinguished their wands, which had been Illuminated since they had Apparated into Bri's room.

Bri wondered what would await her on the other side of the castle walls. She adored Dumbledore, purely because her family and their friends hated him. He was the only man Voldemort feared.

A tall old man strode out onto the dew-covered grounds, dressed in violet robes. His beard reached his toes, and his half-moon glasses glinted in the rising sun. Bri recognized the man from the Chocolate Frog Cards—Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore!

"Ms. Malfoy. Pleasure to meet you. I'm Professor Dumbledore, and I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I understand you will be joining us this year. You are the same age as Mr. Malfoy, I presume?"

"Yes, sir. But I don't think—"

"Excuse me for interrupting, Brianne, but I have collected information from valuable sources that your owl is, perhaps, the most popular customer at the Wiltshire Flourish and Blotts? You have read every book on magic that Donagh could get his claws on?"

"Er—I pay for them sir…"

"Of course you do! But I think, that with a little bit of practice, you could be a fifth year before October!"

"Sir! I am a Squib! I am incapable of magic!"

Mrs. Figg interrupted. "Ms. Malfoy, we already established that. You wouldn't be standing here right now, would you? You would be back home, scrubbing away at the floors like a useless house elf! We have no doubt in our minds that you are, in fact, a witch!"

"Thank you for that assessment, Arabella. Brianne, she's right, you know. With a few tests, you will be ready for enrollment in October, as I already said."

"But my brother will surely recognize me—"

"He will not notice a thing. You see Brianne, you are a Metamorphmagus."

"A Hettawhomabob?"

Tonks couldn't help herself. "It means you can change your appearance at will, silly! Like me! Watch!" Brianne stared in awe as Tonks's long, curly red hair shrunk into a turqouise mohawk, and her large, green eyes turned into small, black, beady ones.

"I'm going to teach you how to use your powers!" Tonks said excitedly. As she said this, her hair grew to her feet, and her nose became narrow and crooked.

"Under what name will I be enrolled?"

"That is up to you, Bri," said Remus. "You have one chance to be anybody you want to be. A new beginning."

"Wow," That was about all she could say. Yesterday, Bri had less dignity than a poor little house elf, working for some of the Darkest wizards in England, and today, she was nobody. And tomorrow, she would be somebody completely new! It was a little too much for her to bear. "I think I need to sit down," She promptly sat on the wet grass, breathing hard.

"_Accio Chocolate!_" shouted Remus. Good old Remus. He has probably taught us the most important lesson in life: Chocolate fixes everything! "Here, eat this," he said, handing Bri a piece of chocolate and eating a piece himself.

An incredibly short man came scurrying out of the castle. "Hey!" He squeaked. "Bring that back!"

Everyone laughed appreciatively. "Remus! What have we told you about stealing chocolate from midgets?"


	4. No Wand?

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Bad Megan, Bad!**

**I hope you've all been reading _The Jokers Unite_, by Cainabella. We can and will turn you into toads!**

**Reviews:**

**xtotallyatpeacex: Thanks! You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside ;-) Arabella Side-Along Apparated with Tonks. As for you inquiry about what House she's going to be sorted into, you'll just have to find out! ;-)**

"Molly. Molly O'Connor. And I want to have curly red hair, freckles, and green eyes!"

"Slow down, you don't even know how to _make _any of those things yet!" Tonks smiled. Today, she had bright purple hair and a nose so small it was hardly visible. She had incredible hazel eyes. "As for your name, I think it's kind of cute."

"Sorry. I just get excited when I think about going to Hogwarts and everything. This is so new! I'm going to do magic! I'm going to ride a broom! I'm—"

"Slow _down_! I know your excited, but you have to be patient!" Tonks was quite obviously very excited herself. She kept bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

"The first step is to _think _about what you want to be. When I'm sad, my hair is all lank and icky. Then I have to think happy thoughts to get it to bounce back again!" she tossed her long, neon-purple locks.

"Ok, I think—I think—" Brianne's long, red hair shortened slightly and turned a very light strawberry red.

"Wow! Oh my gosh! Looklooklooklook!" Bri was ecstatic. She jumped and clapped, never taking her eyes off the mirror in Tonks's room. Tonks laughed appreciatively.

A few hours later Bri had managed curly red hair, freckles, and green eyes, but she wasn't able to maintain it for more than 15 minutes.

"You've got it! A few more days and I think you'll have it!"

"Really? I figured it would take months!"

"Well, you were born a Metamorphmagus. You don't learn how to be one. You just needed a little practice is all. Same time tomorrow sound good?"

"Yeah. Thank you so much, Nymphadora!"

"Eek! Call me Tonks, OK?"

"Alright N—I mean Tonks!" Bri walked out of the house where Dumbledore was waiting. She was staying in a small apartment attached to his office at Hogwarts until she joined the student body.

"How did it go, Ms. Malfoy?" he asked.

"Great. Watch—" Bri started to change her hair back to red, but Dumbledore stopped her.

"Not here, Muggles will see you. Tell me, have you ever Apparated?"

"No, I'm under-aged!"

"Of course. I meant Side-Along Apparition, Ms. Malfoy."

"Oh, well, no, not really."

"Well there is a first time for everything! Take my hand," he extended his long, wrinkled hand to Bri, "and here we go!"

Bri felt as if she was spinning very quickly through a rather darkened room. All of a sudden, she had landed in her apartment in Dumbledore's office.

"Whoah," she said.

"That was about my reaction when I first Side-Along Apparated," Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes twinkling, "I'll leave you now, I have some important Ministry business to tend to. You have a special Transfiguration lesson in about an hour with Professor McGonagall. She's going to come here to teach you, so don't leave my office, alright? Alright. Ciao!" and he strode out of the room, humming as he went.

Bri looked around the room. She guessed that the room was magical, because it didn't seem possible that this room could be seen from the outside of the castle—it jutted off from the tower office like a gigantic wart. An incredibly comfy bed, a desk and chair, a bookcase, a wardrobe, a squashy armchair, and even a fireplace made this room about as cozy as it could be. Paintings of famous witches and wizards eyed her suspiciously—apparently Dumbledore hadn't informed them of their new visitor.

**A/N I have serious writer's block right here…**

"Ms. Malfoy?" A stern-looking woman poked her head into Bri's room. Bri had fallen asleep in the squashy armchair, and drool was running down her cheek.

"Huh? Um…Who are you?" Bri quickly wiped the saliva off her mouth, face turning red.

"I am Professor McGonagall, I will be your Transfiguration teacher today. I trust that Professor Dumbledore informed you of our lesson?" she did not look pleased that Bri had fallen asleep waiting for her.

"Er—yeah. Sorry, I'm just really, um, tired." Bri's face turned a vivid crimson.

"Today, we are going to study how to turn our quills into birds…"

"But I don't have a wand!" Bri felt incredibly stupid. How could she have forgotten? She didn't have a wand? Stupidstupidstupid Bri!

"Just like Dumbledore to forget such things. He always has the master plan, but he forgets the so-called 'petty' details. I suppose I'll have to take you to Diagon Alley. Have you any money?"

"Um, Dumbledore gave me some a while back to buy school supplies, yeah—"

"Alright then. We'll have to go right now. Lesson cancelled. Let's go,"

It was around 6 pm when they arrived in London. Luckily, it was a Friday night, so the shops were open late.

"We'll only cover the basics. Ollivander's, Madam Malkin's, Flourish and Blott's, the Apothecary, and a cauldron shop." She stepped into the Leaky Cauldron, Bri at her side. McGonagall made her way to the back, and stepped in front of the brick wall, tapping seemingly random bricks above an old trash can.

Bri was extremely excited. She was going to Diagon Alley for the first time in her life. What surprises awaited her beyond the wall?

**So this one was kind of slow, but it's more of a transitional chapter. I promise I will update soon!**


	5. Sorted

**Make sure you are reading _The Jokers Unite, That One or That One, _and _The Realm of Ginny _by Cainabella! You should, if you don't want to (I have to think of a new punishment)…get…fed to a Flobberworm!(I know, I know, that was weak) Molly (Cainabella) also has a Star Wars story (RUN AWAY! Sorry but I absolutely detest Star Wars) and a Hawksong story.**

**Reviews:**

**Cup-in-a-mug: Thanks! That made me feel really good—I am totally obsessed with your story _Green Philosophy of a Prince_!**

**Molly: That was…brief. Cool.**

**xtotallyatpeacex: Yeah. I myself forgot that she didn't have a wand. I had to rewrite about an entire page of Transfiguration lessons to save my sorry ass! Just for your sake, I will make this chapter very long so that she does get sorted.**

Diagon Alley. Bri had never been here before. It was so amazing, with street vendors and owls and wizards and witches everywhere. There was nothing in the world like it. (A/N has anybody ever wondered why there isn't owl crap all over Diagon Alley?)

"There's the cauldron shop. Come on, we haven't got all day, young lady!" barked McGonagall.

After a long day of shopping, Bri was happy to get back to her cozy apartment. She had a standard cauldron, a wand (Dragon heartsting, cherry, 13 inches), a toad named Dolores, about twenty books (in addition to the required books) since reading was so important to her, some new robes (dress robes, casual robes, the list went on…) some dragonskin gloves (bright orange!), and a hat.

Surprisingly, Bri had been given a lot of money by her parents despite the fact that she was neglected. (A/N imagine how spoiled Draco is—if he was a Muggle, he would probably have an iPod Video, a Sony PSP, a sportscar, an entire wardrobe of Abercrombie and Fitch…) Bri guessed that she was given money so she wouldn't write to the _Daily Prophet_ saying that she was basically being held captive. Why hadn't she written the _Daily Prophet_? Probably under the threat of the _Cruciatus _curse.

Bri sank into her chair and sighed happily. McGonagall left, saying that they would instead have their lesson tomorrow after Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Bri found herself incredibly ecstatic, pretending to concoct potions she had read about in her cauldron, trying out simple spells with her wand, trying on her robes, reading feverishly through books, and introducing Dolores to Donagh. Then she decided that Dolores should keep away from Donagh, since he seemed to think of her as supper.

The next few weeks seemed to fly by, with some very interesting classes. Bri (who will from here on out be referred to as Molly) excelled at Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, Charms, Magical Music, and Potions. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination and Transfiguration classes were, well, less than satisfactory (can you say TROLL?). Over time, they got better, and she managed to bring them up to slightly below average.

Before she knew it, September was over and October had begun. Molly had completely mastered Metamorphmagology and totally ready for school to start. One day, Dumbledore knocked on her door.

"Br—Molly? Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Yes, sir." Molly emerged, her green eyes sparkling and red hair shining.

"We have to talk about admission to the school."

"Alright, but I thought I had already been accepted?"

"Well, yes, but since you are starting late, we have to discuss how you will be sorted."

"Can't I just stay in the apartment?"

"No, I know it is a very cozy place, and you can return there for summer break, but you have to be in a House or it will look suspicious."

"Do I get to pick?"

Dumbledore laughed appreciatively. "No, I'm afraid the rules will also apply to you. Would you rather be sorted in front of the entire school, or just here, in private?"

"Um, I wouldn't mind getting sorted in front of the school."

"That's wonderful then. Tomorrow, we shall have a feast and you will get sorted."

"Sir—What House do you think I will be sorted into? I hope it's Gryffindor. All the best people end up in that House."

"Remember, Ms. O'Connor, that the House you are in does not determine the quality of the individual. Each member of a House shows his or her own qualities and shortcomings."

"Hufflepuff especially excels at shortcomings." Molly couldn't help herself. "Sorry, Professor," she added quickly.

Dumbledore laughed. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Molly, as long as you pretend you didn't hear me laugh! In the meantime, I have to leave now, so I will see you tomorrow night, alright? I'll come fetch you just before dinner, you don't mind eating in the kitchens, do you?"

"No sir, not at all." Molly replied. She was so incredibly excited. She was starting school the very next night!

The very next night seemed like many years away. Time passed so slowly, Molly thought the clocks were broken. She asked Dumbledore for a light sleeping potion, which Snape provided, and she fell into a wonderfully warm, deep sleep, where she dreamt of Donagh, a Kneazle, and Potions class.

Molly woke up around eight am to an owl pecking at the window, Donagh looking at it suspiciously. Molly had recently subscribed to the _Daily Prophet_, so that she could keep up with the quickly changing magical world, but Donagh still didn't like the fact that a strange owl was making deliveries instead of him. Crossing the room to the window, she gave the white owl a Knut and took the paper from his leg and read it idly, without really taking anything in.

Around nine, someone knocked on the door, but she knew it was just Winky bringing her breakfast. She was such a cute little House-Elf, and Molly always shared breakfast with her. Winky adored this more than anything else, even though she thought it wasn't her place to eat with humans. This day Winky had brought waffles and hot cocoa, Molly's personal favorite. She chatted with Winky about the weather. That was really all Winky talked about. And something called S-P-E-W and the crazy Her-mee-oney that had invented it. After they finished, Winky bowed low and made her way back to the kitchens.

The day passed slowly. At one o'clock, Winky came back up to the room with lunch—barbecue chicken and lemonade, and they chatted some more.

Finally, it was about six o'clock and Dumbledore swept into the room.

"Are you red—" (A/N phonetically the first syllable of ready)

"Yes yes yes!" Molly's hair was braided and she had some lip gloss on.

"OK, well then what are we wait—"

"I don't know what we are waiting for, let's go!" Dumbledore laughed as Molly practically shoved him out of the way to get to the door.

Molly ate her dinner slowly and carefully, not wanting to stain her robes.

Finally, FINALLY it was time to get sorted. Molly walked tall, her long braid flowing behind her, over to Dumbledore as he announced the "special" event that was going on tonight.

"We have the special honor of receiving a new student," he said. "Ms. Molly O'Connor, a student who moved here from America **(Metamorphmagi also have the power to change their voices, and, in this case, their British accent) **to join us at Hogwarts."

The school errupted into polite applause, boys craning their necks to see Molly in her new-found beauty.

"She has agreed to be sorted in front of everyone. So here she is, Molly O'Connor from Chincoteague Island, Virginia!"

Molly sat on the stool. It was only then did she realize how nervous she was. Her hands were sweating, and her knees trembled slightly. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

"_You are incredibly brave, Molly."_ It whispered into her mind.

"_Er. Thanks." _Molly thought.

"_You are also very smart, and loyal."_

"_Not Hufflepuff, only losers go—"_ Molly stammered. Anything but Hufflepuff!

"_AH! Brianne Malfoy…it seems you are also very good at lying and keeping secrets…Let's go with…hmm…this will be a very tough decision…SLYTHERIN!"_

**Longest chapter yet! So she got sorted. I hope you liked this chapter…a lot of time passed here, no?**

**Apparently, the brackets characters do not show up on a Fanfiction Document. When Dumbledore is introducing Molly, I had brackets around the part that says "Metamorphmagi have the power to change their voices and, in this case, their accent" but I was reading it on the Web and I was like, Whoah! So I had to update.**


	6. Mr and Mrs Bastard

**Whoah. I started this back on Jan. 20 and I'm finally getting back to it on Feb. 6. I'm really super dooper sorry! **

**BE SURE TO READ ALL OF CAINABELLA'S STORIES OR ELSE WE WILL FEED YOU TO MY 13 POUND BOSTON TERRIER, LILY!**

**Reviews:**

**xtotallyatpeacex: Well, yeah. Gonna create some serious angst. I have no clue what you are talking about in the 4th paragraph, but I did just update that thing with Dumbledore so that he doesn't spill the beans that she is a Metamorphmagus (he IS getting old, perhaps he had amnesia?) but I have no idea what you were trying to say after that. As for being so sad that she couldn't Metamorphmagate (? Verb form ?), I think you read my mind…00 Meanwhile, I'm really sorry but eventually she will hang out with Harry but not for a lonnnnnnnnng time (sort of my own fantasy about being in love with Harry, he's just a likeable guy, you know?).**

**Rosygirl: That's the POINT silly—ANGST!**

**Molly: Like I said to xtotallyatpeacex and Rosygirl, oh yeah. Serious serious serious angst! WOOT! I've also told you before that twincest is the most disgusting thing ever, but, as you may find out in this chapter, Draco is toying with the idea of twincest (even though he doesn't know she's his twin). So is that twincest? It isn't her fault, anyway. I mean, she is very good-looking and she...well...attracts guys. What can I say? It sort of triggers her outcasted-ness.**

Molly stumbled over to the Slytherin table in a daze. What was going on? Holy cow. She was in Slytherin? Her family House for 50 gajillion years? This was really messed up. She found a seat next to Pansy Parkinson and dessert was served—Chocolate cookie dough ice cream, apple pie, chocolate cake (all Molly's favorites)—but she didn't touch any of it.

After dinner, Molly blindly followed the Slytherins down to a dungeon. Why were they going here? They can't possibly…

Live in the dungeon? How awful was this? Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, Pansy Parkinson, and—Molly seethed with anger—her own brother Draco muttered the password which was Serpent **A/N yes, I know, that was very weak for a password, I was going to have pureblood but I remembered they used that in the second year **and entered the common room, Molly close behind. There was her brother, that awful, conniving, little sonuvabeeatch whom she wished had never been born.

Draco turned around.

"Hello," he drawled, "I'm Draco Malfoy. You are a Pureblood, I presume?"

"You might say that,"

"Good. I suppose you'll fit right in. This is Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe. Welcome to Slytherin."

Molly wanted to punch him in the face.

"Thank you," she managed to say curtly.

"I might like to add that you are incredibly hot,"

"That's absolutely disgusting!" Molly said, beside herself with rage.

"You don't like guys, do you? So you're a lesbian? Ew, that's gross! What a vile creature you are--" **A/N I have nothing against homosexuals, but obviously Draco does.**

"NO! I just—don't believe in ince—I mean—I don't like bastards who keep combs in their back pockets, like you."

Pansy Parkinson shrieked. "You don't like Draco Malfoy? What the Hell is wrong with you? He's only the hottest and richest guy in our House!"

Molly realized she had seriously screwed up. She didn't know it yet, but she had officially made herself an outcast with Slytherins forever.

Later that night, as Molly lay on her ugly green and silver four poster bed, Donagh brought her tomorrow's schedule. Things seemed to be looking up—she had Potions with Gryffindor, Charms with Hufflepuff, and Care of Magical Creatures with Ravenclaw. At least she would get to meet all of the people in her grade, right?

Molly went to bed early, to be ready for the next day, her very first day of school. She found it hard to sleep in the cold, dank, dungeons, with Pansy Parkinson snoring away, but she was going to have to manage. Perhaps it wasn't even the fact that she was in the dungeons, but more the fact that she was in Slytherin. Slytherin. Slytherin. The word echoed through her head nonstop during the night. She made a mental note to get another Sleeping Potion from Dumbledore the next day. When she finally fell asleep, it was a fitful one.

At dawn, Molly woke. She didn't want to go back to bed, so she slid on her slippers and crept out of the girls' dormitory. In the common room, she magically lit a fire and sat in an armchair, shivering. How come Slytherins had to be so damn cold? Their mascot was a snake, and snakes were cold-blooded, so they had to be in warm places to stay alive right?

Snap out of it, Molly. You're reading into things too much again, she reminded herself. She pulled her robe up tighter around her pajamas. A glance at her watch told her it was only 4:37. Breakfast was at 7. How was she going to wait that long? That wasn't quite as bad as the next mystery: How did she manage to wake up so freaking early?

Molly decided to read some books. She wasn't really in the mood to read a spell book, but she went back to her trunk (which she had purchased in Diagon Alley a few weeks before) and pulled out an old favorite: _The Lord of The Rings_. Around 6:50, Molly had read a good hundred pages when Draco swaggered into the room, Pansy on his arm.

"Hello, filth."

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Bastard," Molly replied coolly.

"You little bitch!" Pansy started for Molly, but Molly, as tall and thin as she was, nimbly avoided her grasp.

Draco sniggered. "Come now Pansy, we don't hurt newcomers." This seemed to be some sort of cruel inside joke between the two of them, because Pansy laughed and retreated to his arms.

"You're right, Draco, baby."

"Am I ever wrong?"

Molly suppressed a smile.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, Molly thought, heading for the Great Hall.

**Whaddya think?**


	7. More Awesome Insults

**I hope you have a happy Valentines Day…because here I am…single…forever and always…stupid Hallmark came up with this holiday…I know it…tear**

**Be sure to read all of Cainabella's stories…or else (you fill in your own gruesome punishment)**

**Please please please review! I've had 454 hits and only 16 reviews (as of February 14, 2006 at 8.27 am Eastern time) so I'm very depressed because only 3.5 of you are reviewing (had to bust out the calculator to do that ;-D)!**

**I do not own Harry Potter because owning other people is called _slavery _and that is _illegal_! ;-)**

**I have a slightly new format. All authors' notes will appear in boldface type, so don't get all confused and crap.**

**.:Chapter 7:.**

Molly wondered how she could torment Draco as she entered the Great Hall. Oh, the possibilities. This year would be very interesting.

She couldn't help but let her excitement bubble over as she took her seat. A few disheveled looking students were already there, half-awake. Molly couldn't imagine why they looked so unhappy about going to _school_ and learning _magic_! **This is what we like to call sarcasm folks…take a good look…**

There wasn't any food yet on the table, but it was slightly early—6.56. Molly looked around at the groggy faces and couldn't help smiling to herself. Metamorphmagi don't have to brush their hair, they just go into the bathroom for a while and _pretend_ to do their hair.

Finally, just before she thought her growling stomach could bear it no longer, eggs, ham sausages, pancakes, French Toast, fruit salad, yogurt, tea, and coffee appeared on the table. **I'm so damn hungry! **Molly took some green tea, yogurt, and fruit salad. **I love to talk about food…** All of the students suddenly appeared, as if drawn by the delicious smells.

Soon enough, owls swooped down into the room bringing the daily post. Donagh, Molly knew, was probably asleep in the owlery, but the _Prophet_ owl swooped down to her instead, bringing her the newspaper. She paid him a Knut and he swooped off. Molly was definitely too excited to read a newspaper right now, so she shoved it in her bag for reading material later.

Finally, it was time to go to Potions Class. Her first ever not-alone class! How exiting was this?

Molly was the first person into the room, not even Snape. She still wasn't sure if she liked him or not. What if he blew her cover?

Around eight, the other students filed into the room. Molly had taken a seat at the front of the room, right in the center.

Here come the Gryffindors! She thought.

Everybody sat in the back, Gryffindors in the left corner, Slytherins in the right.

Molly, not being one to want to be left out, immediately migrated to the back of the room, too. But, which side did she sit with? Her "own kind?" or the people she wanted to get to know? Molly took a seat next to a tall, red-haired boy with a long nose.

"Hi," Molly said.

"Er—hi," said the boy.

"What's your name?"

"Uh—Ron. Weasley."

"Look at that! The newbie had a chance with the hottest guy in Hogwarts, and now she's hitting on Weasel filth!" Draco called from across the room.

"Weasel filth? Someone told me that YOU are the weasel! Does Professor Moody ring a bell? Weasel boy?"

"Who the hell do you think you are? For a new girl, you sure are bitchy!" Draco cried defensively, while Gryffindors made that "Oooh!" sound that signifies a burn.

Perhaps, Molly thought, she had made herself some friends with the Gryffindors. They seemed like a nice bunch.

Snape swept into the room. Draco and Pansy shot her a dirty look, but Molly coolly imitated their looks before turning her attention to the front of the room.

"Today, we are studying the Draught of Death," Snape began. "You will have partners. Malfoy, you are paired with Parkinson, Crabbe with Goyle, **Here Snape names other Slytherins and Gryffindors that I'm too lazy to dream up **Brown with Weasley, Potter with Patil, and Granger with Ma-O'Connor."

A bushy-haired girl peered at Molly next to the boy known as Harry Potter. Gosh, he was hot! But back to business. Molly and the girl known as Granger took new seats next to each other as Snape wrote the ingredients down on the board with his wand.

"So, Granger, do you like Potions?"

"You can all me Hermione, and, no, I don't like Potions, but I'm sure that if we had a different teacher, I would like it. Do you like Potions?"

"Yeah, back in, um, Chincoteague, it was one of my favorite subjects."

"What school did you go to?"

"Um—Ponysnort School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Molly was going to have to remember that. Ponysnort. Weak, but it was going to have to work.

"Really? I thought that was in Richmond?" Damn. Ponysnort was a pretty lucky guess! Who knew it was that close to her supposed hometown?

"Well—yeah, but I commuted there each day. You don't live near here, do you?"

"No, I suppose you are right. Where do you live now?"

"Connemara, Ireland." Molly said. That was one thing she had decided on.

"Wow. It must be beautiful there!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yeah, it is."

"Well, I just wanted to welcome you to our school. I hope you have a good time here."

"Thanks!" Had Molly found a friend?

**I love acting bitchy towards Draco ;-) I only wish I was as quick on my feet as Molly…it took me a good ten minutes to come up with a comment like that!**


	8. A Conversation With Hagrid

Read Anamaga's stories or else…you know the drill folks 

**Reviews:**

**Anamaga: Hah! You were wrong! I wasn't on my way to the computer lab! Pthbt!**

**Xtotallyatpeacex: Cool. Briefness. I know what you mean though, reading a story and your parents think that you are just screwing around…and they are like "TIME TO GO OR NO COMPUTER FOR A WEEK!"…at least…that's what my parents are like…**

**Come on guys! Eight chapters and only eighteen reviews to show for it! Review-to-hit ratio as of February 15, 2006 at 1.37 pm Eastern time: 18/499 which is 3.6 percent. Sighs at least it is .1 percent better than last time…**

**Update Review-to-hit-Ratio as of February 16, 2006 at 10.11 am Eastern time: 18/507 which is 3.5 percent! Bad readers, bad! ;-)**

**So…Yes. I dug this up out of my ahem history computer folder. Go figure! I don't know why it was in there…but anywho this is the original chapter.**

**My sulky mood has caused me to think that she ain't gonna wind up with Harry. Just friends.**

**Suggestions as to possible suitors? (Neville, Seamus, Dean…even…gasp Ernie?)**

**All of the underlined stuff is what I actually found in the file. From Feb. 16. Wow. Like, Ancient History (so that's why I found it in the History Folder…)**

**The Review-to-Hit-Ratio as of March 6, 2006 at 3.48 Eastern Time (That's what my cell phone says, anyway): 547 hits, 27 reviews. That means…(computing…) 4.9 percent of you are reviewing! Wow! Maybe I should leave it without updates for longer periods of time…but over half of the new reviews are because of some girl with a French Pen Name that I won't even begin to try to type. And, she was evil. Told me that Brianne had no flaws and was a Mary-Sue. Um…no. A.) I wrote this before I even looked at so really, in my eyes, Draco's twin is not a cliché. And B.) She does have flaws. She sucks at Defense against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and flying. And C.) As for being smart, she is basically a mirror of me. I'm smart, tall, and even though I'm not as pretty as she is, I'm not ugly, either (she's a Metamorphmagus! Der! She can be as pretty as she wants to be!). In addition, Mary-Sues have unique names, like "Jade," "Yasmin," "Althea," and "Iaosdifjaosdifjaosidjf." Molly is a humble, down-to-earth name, and as for Brianne, it is an ancient name that goes back way before "Iaosdifjaosdifjaosidjf." Pay no attention to my crazy rants. I HATE Mary-Sues!**

**Wow. A whole page in bold print. I'm on a roll.**

**.:Chapter 8:.**

After Potions came Charms with Hufflepuff. Eek. Hufflepuff? At least it was another of her favorite classes, that's all that mattered, right?

Hufflepuffians were just as she expected. But she did meet Ernie MacMillan and Eloise Midgen. They seemed nice enough. Even if they were…loopy. But in a nice, Anamaga/Half-Blood Princess7 way :-D.

Molly decided that she liked Ernie and Eloise. They were the first people that liked her for who she was, not because of her falsified beauty. And that was good.

And then came lunch. She ate at a secluded corner of the Slytherin table, sipping pumpkin juice after wolfing down some tacos **(do they eat tacos in England? I hope so. I love tacos) **. Care of Magical Creatures awaited her down on the grounds, with Ravenclaw. She didn't really know much about Ravenclaw, just that they were really smart people.

It was a crisp Autumn day as Molly walked down to the Gamekeeper's hut, where Care of Magical Creatures was held. She wondered what type of animals they were working with. It was all very exciting. It hadn't quite registered with her yet that this was her first day of school. It all seemed so natural, even if nobody payed her much mind. She liked it that way.

Molly almost crapped herself and did a doubletake when she met Professor Hagrid. Wow. He was very, very, tall, and very, very, wide. Beyond belief. It was almost as if he was half-giant or something! But, trying not to be too prejudiced like her family, she went to class with an open mind.

"Yer early," he commented in a gruff voice, "and yer new. Name's Hagrid, and I s'pose yer Br-Molly O'Connor. Pleasure ter meet yeh." He extended an enormous, calloused hand to her. Molly was going red in the face, but she took his hand (with both her own) and he shook it so hard she almost fell to the ground. This surprised Molly, because even as Brianne Malfoy she had had large hands, and elected not to change them because she liked them a lot.

"So—so—you—k-know my real name?" she managed to ask.

"Of course, all the fac'lty does, but it's alrigh', yer secret's safe with me, jus' like Professor Dumbledore, and Snape, and McGonagall."

"Oh. OK. So, what are we doing in class today?" Molly was eager to change the subject.

"Well, I'll be showin' yeh some tricks as ter trainin' kelpies, I will,"k?"

"Kelpies! But they're incredibly dangerous! Rated something like at least four x's in _Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them_,"

Professor Hagrid laughed, and it occurred to Molly that he was perhaps slightly crazy.

"Ye remind me of Hermione Granger, very booksmart," he said, chuckling.

"Um, thanks. I met her today, what is she like?" Molly asked, eager to meet new people.

"Hermione? Well, she's a nice enough girl. A little bossy, but she's the type that al'ays follows the rules, you know? A bit of a bookworm. I bet you'd like 'er."

At that point, Ravenclaws and other Slytherins had begun to make their way down to the paddock; their conversation ended abruptly. The students milled in around Molly and class had begun.

**I was really excited to continue this again. I hope you liked it. I know it didn't cover an awful lot of time, but I couldn't wait to get it back up )**


	9. Secrets

Brianne Means Strong Chapter 10 (9 If you don't count my depression "I quit" chapter)

**I think I said just about everything in that last author's note. So I'll cut to the chase.**

It turns out Hagrid was only pulling Molly's leg about Kelpies (duh), and instead they were learning about Bowtruckles, and it turned out to be a very interesting lesson.

Luna Lovegood proved to be Loony, as Molly had heard on the lightening-fast Hogwarts grapevine, but she was a nice person and had the crazy sense of humor that Molly enjoyed.

Luna and Molly were instant friends. Perhaps it was the fact that they were both outcasts, or perhaps it was because they were the only two that though a Bowtruckle was cute, but something clicked.

Now, rather than reading at the lonely end of the Slytherin table to eat, Molly was talking and laughing with Luna at the Ravenclaw. As weeks passed, she also developed friendships with Ernie MacMillan, Susan Bones, and Neville Longbottom. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were those "sort-of" friends, the type you would say hello to in the hallways, but you aren't telling them your most intimate secrets.

In fact, Molly didn't want to tell anybody her most intimate secret. For one thing, Dumbledore would certainly find out, and he wouldn't like the fact that she was going around telling everyone that she was Draco's sister, and for another, Molly didn't trust people very easily.

It was now December, and she was planning Christmas gifts. Molly found it easier to make gifts than buy them. She had never gotten a gift from anyone, and she hoped that this year she might get a Christmas present.

For Luna, she had made a mobile of the _Quibbler_, and it sang a song by Stubby Boardman. She had made Ernie a pocket protector as a practical joke that beeped whenever he was getting too corny, and Susan was getting a model of a unicorn that walked around (here the author has run out of steam on magical objects that can be crafts). Molly was still deciding on what to get for Neville.

Neville. He was so cute in his own little way, as he bumbled around, so unsure of himself. Molly, at age 15, decided she had developed her very first crush.

And she finally found herself trusting enough to tell someone about it.

"You've never fancied anyone before?" Luna looked at her incredulously, arms folded over her chest. "Who is it?"

"Uh, Neville."

"Really? Longbottom?" Luna practically shouted at the table.

"Shh! Yes. Why? Do you like him?"

"No, I think I like Colin Creevey, but it's just so cute! Should I talk to him for you?"

"What? No, I talk to him often enough. Wait, why are you all girly all of a sudden?" Molly was rather baffled at her friend's sudden clique-yness. "Do I need to take you to the Hospital Wing? Are you feeling alright?" She playfully put her hand to Luna's forehead.

"No, I just think it's really funny that you have never liked anyone before," Luna said calmly.

"Well, I've been shut up for most—I mean the guys in America were never very good looking."

"Really? I've always thought it was the other way around," Luckily, Luna had missed the fact that Molly almost revealed her deepest secret.

And then it registered with Molly.

"Wait. You like _Colin Creevey?_"

"Well, yes. I do."

Molly was even more baffled.

Later

Molly lay in her bed, mulling over what Luna had said. Of course, she had read about people falling in love younger than she was. But, that was in a book. It was almost like love was off-limits to her…and yet…

The next day

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

"Uh, what would you like for Christmas, Molly?" he asked.

"Me?"

"Uh, yeah. I think so."

"Oh, I dunno." Molly's face turned beat red as she thought about how she faced the same problem finding Neville a gift. Maybe he liked her, too?

"Oh. OK. Uh, do you, I dunno…do you wanna help me out with homework in the library after Magical Music?"

Damn. Molly didn't know what she had been hoping for. Would he ask her to go with her to Hogsmeade? She was so stupid sometimes.

"Yeah, yeah that's good."

That night, Molly walked into the library to find Neville sitting at a table by himself.

"Hi, uh, what did you need help with?"

"Well, I was sorta hoping you'd help me with Potions."

"Oh, ok. Well, we were working on the Truth Serum, right?" Of all things. Truth serum. And here she sat, lying about her own identity to the guy she was so madly in love with.


	10. Romantic NightWalk

**Brianne Means Strong Chapter (I think) 11**

**A big thank you to all who reviewed.**

Even after they had finished Neville's homework, they sat and talked (quietly) for hours. Molly found herself eerily comfortable talking to him. In all the books she had read, the girls were always shy around their crush.

Of course, the guys in the books were always good-looking, and Neville was far from it.

Finally, just before midnight, Madam Pince shooed them out of the library and told them to return to their dormitories.

Once outside the hall, Molly and Neville continued to chat, until Molly found herself at a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress.

Neville's ears turned red.

"Uh, this is the Gryffindor Common Room," he said, meekly.

"Oh, er, I completely…forgot where I was going," Molly muttered, as the blood rose to her face quickly. The Slytherin Common Room lay eight floors below.

"Can I show you something?" Asked Neville.

"Erm, what?"

"Well, Harry showed me a good passageway. It'll take you all the way down to the dungeons from the sixth floor, do you wanna use it?" **(This knowledge of passageways obtained from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Video Game for Gameboy Color xD)**

"Really?"

"Well, yeah."

They made their way down to the Sixth floor where Neville stopped ata portrait of Sir Cadogan and pulled the floor-length frame forward to reveal a set of stairs dimly lit by torches.

Molly couldn't help but feel scared.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," said Neville, beginning to head back to the seventh floor.

"Uh, Neville?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh, will you…will…do you wanna walk down with me?"

"Um, I'm really tired, Mo, I'm sorry. I would, but I think I'd fall asleep on the way back up."

"Oh. Well, that's OK. Good night then."

"Good night. And thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime. See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Yawning, Neville made his way up the stairs.

"What was I thinking?" Molly asked herself, making her way down the stairs. "Was I expecting him to take a romantic night-walk with me? Followed by a kiss before he left? God damn. I'm so stupid!"

Molly walked back to the Slytherin Common Room fuming all the while.

"Serpent." She said, as the armor moved out of the way to reveal large, oaken doors.

She was still muttering to herself as she walked into the Common Room, and bumped into—

"Hello, O'Connor," drawled a voice.

"Hello, scum," Molly said coolly, without looking up. _I just have to make it to the Girls Dormitory, and then I can go to sleep,_ she thought to herself. _Ignore him. He's an asshole._ But fifteen years of hatred and slave labor were boiling inside her.

"What are you doing up so late?"

"What are you doing up so late?" she retaliated.

"Doing it with Longbottom, I suppose," Malfoy continued.

"I always knew you were gay,"

Draco didn't say anything. She had stumped him, at last.

"Leave me alone, just let me go to bed," Molly said.

"I don't think I will."

"Why?"

"Well, you see, as prefect, I can give you detention for being up past curfew."

"And why would you do that? Seeing as _you_ are up past curfew."

"That's why I'm the prefect, you little slut."

"I wonder what Dumbledore was thinking?"

"He wasn't thinking. That old man doesn't think. Like most of the teachers here."

"You included?"

"Ooh, the little American is getting rowdy!" He imitated a sound like a cat growling. "Your time of month again?"

"I'll give you rowdy, you conniving, pompous waste of matter!" And with that, her fist collided with his face.

Malfoy covered his face.

"You won't get away with this!"

"I think I will. Who are you going to tell? _Snapey, Snapey, Mawee hit me and I was bweeding! Pouh me! Boo hoo hoo! I got hit by a guw!_" **(A/N I was trying to make it sound like she couldn't use any R's.)** Molly smiled when she looked up at Draco: There was this damn-she's-right look written all over his face.

"Good night," she said, and before he could say anything, she had gone into the girl's dormitory.

Damn, that felt good.


	11. The Flirtatious Sex Kitten

Brianne Means Strong: Chapter 12 

**Thank you all for the reviews. And, by the way, I was wondering if perhaps anybody was interested in seeing what Brianne looks like and what Molly looks like.**

**I made them both in the Sims 2. So, here is the link:**

**http//thesims2. ea. com/exchange/simdetail. php? assetid535759 for Brianne (w/o spaces)**

**and**

**http//thesims2. ea. com/exchange/simdetail. php? assetid535709 for Molly (w/o spaces)**

**Of course, nobody really cares what they look like, so why bother, but whatever. Check out my awesome knack for building Sims anyway :-P**

It was December 21st, and Molly was going to Hogsmeade for the first time.

Of course, she had gotten permission from Dumbledore, who was basically acting as her guardian, since he now had custody of her.

"So, what is Hogsmeade like?" Molly asked Luna, as they filed out of the Great Hall after breakfast.

"Well, it's really neat. But guess what:

"I give up."

"Hmph. Colin asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him!"

It was all Molly could do to keep from gagging.

"Colin? As in Colin Creevey? As in Wannabe Muggle Photographer?"

"He has great photos, silly. He's so nice."

"And you're so…well…loony."

"Wow, that's the first time I've ever heard that one," said Luna with a laugh.

"So, what are you two going to do today?"

"Well, we figured we could see the sights, you know? He wasn't allowed to go last year because his parents were mad at him, and he's been sick the last couple of trips, but finally, he's going. And he asked me! I'll get to show him everything! This is going to be the best day of my life! He asked ME! I have never been asked to go anywhere with a boy."

Molly wasn't sure if she was disgusted that Luna liked Colin, or if it was just because she was jealous that Neville wasn't going with her.

**(A/N do you like my fancy time separator thingie? Aw, it's so pretty)**

Hogsmeade turned out to be an awful lot of fun. Since Luna couldn't be torn away from Colin, Molly hung out with Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Ernie MacMillan, and Neville instead. They got candy at Honeydukes, some prank-items from Zonko's, and even went up to see the Shrieking Shack.

"Psst. Hannah. Psst!" Molly nudged her in the arm.

"What?"

"Keep Neville busy. I haven't gotten him a Christmas present yet."

"Uh, OK, I guess."

Molly stole away to a bookshop where she found the title: _Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean_. Since Neville was so into Herbology, she figured it would be a great book for him. She paid for it, and then, realizing that it was kind of cheap for a Christmas Present, made her way to Honeydukes. There, she got him a box of Fizzing Whizbees.

Neville walked into Dervish and Banges. What was he going to get Molly for Christmas? She was his closest friend. He didn't want to get her something impersonal, a present he could just give to anybody and get the same reaction out of. He wanted to really wow her, to thank her for all the homework she had helped him with. But what to get?

After they had gotten back from Hogsmeade at the end of a long day, Molly was feeling a little flirtatious. Meow.

"Uh, hey Neville, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to help me with Herbology."

"Uh, sure."

"Alright. Right after Potions?"

"Ok."

They worked together, and Molly was glad to be getting "help," even though she completely understood the homework.

"Neville, I was just wondering, uh, if maybe, you wanted to go on the next Hogsmeade trip with me? I think it's sometime in February." Oh shit. Did that just come out of her mouth? What was she thinking?

"Sounds good." Neville looked a little embarrassed.

"Uh, Molly?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what you want for Christmas yet?"

"Well, I dunno, really. Just, I don't even really care if I get presents. When I was with the Ma—I mean back in America, I lived in…a mostly Jewish population, and I didn't really get gifts from my friends."

"Oh, alright."

"Yeah."

"Well, I have to get going. I'll—I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Care of Magical Creatures."

"Yeah. Uh, see you."

"Bye."

Molly walked back to Slytherin Common Room. _Damn. You are such a flirtatious sex kitten,_she thought to herself.

Hell yeah.


	12. A Date at Hogsmeade

**I started this on March 17, in case you get all confuzzled.**

**Top o' the…Whatever time of day it is to yah! xD Being Irish, this is one of my favorite holidays…And so…I'm finally updating after all this time. I had a humungo evil History paper to write, and…it was evil. But, in 20 minutes, I will turn it in and be rid of its evil evilness forever! Bwahaha. Seriously though, I've hardly had any time for anything since that evil paper was so evilly assigned. But it's all cool now.**

**Tra-la-la! I turned the evil paper in to the teacher and now I await an evil grade. Nervous? No, not really, I'm a fair writer (well, of course I like writing, why else would I be on this website!)**

**You might notice some changes in this chapter. For one, I'm going to try tomake it longer. By a long shot. For two, I recently discovered how to edit a document after I've uploaded it, so there should be fewer Syntax errors. After all, I am human and these gawdawful school computer keyboards are sticky as Hell. Is Hell sticky? Ever notice how it can be as hot as Hell, or as cold as Hell? Hell seems to be a lot of things at once…and I'm rambling again…**

**Brianne Means Strong, Chapter 13**

Molly walked slowly to Care of Magical Creatures, in hopes of intercepting Neville as he came down from the Seventh floor. Even if he hadn't figured out that she liked him, she just enjoyed being around him.

"Hi Neville!" she said brightly as he stumbled down the stairs, half-asleep.

He yawned widely. "Why are you so perky?"

"Well, I dunno, really, I got to bed early last night, I guess."

"I only wish I had as much luck as you. I couldn't sleep forever! I have a Divinations test after lunch. And I don't think I'm going to do well, either."

"You have to have some confidence. Besides, Trelawney's tests are easy. Just predict some gruesome deaths, misfortunes, and other bad omens, and she'll ace you!"

"How do you know all this stuff already?"

"Eh, my brother—I mean I've taken a few of her tests already. To be accepted into the school so late, you know? And I got troll on the one I made predictions that I thought I actually saw, and then she told me I would die and didn't really let up on it, and the next test I followed her lead and aced it. Divination isn't that hard, once you've figured out the teacher. I mean, she's a big fake anyway. Sorry I talked your ear off." Molly turned red. She had a tendency to talk a lot when she lied. And she talked a _lot_, considering her own identity was a lie.

"No, that's fine. Let's go down to Magical Creatures, I hear we are doing something with Puffskiens. Ever had one before?"

"No, I think they are only native to Britain and Ireland, not America," _Wow, that lie came really easily_, Molly thought uncomfortably.

"Oh, I had one when I was a little kid, but I fed it too often and it died."

Molly couldn't help but laugh.

"It's not funny!" Neville said, trying in vain not to laugh. "That moment scarred me for the rest of my life!"

"I'm sorry, it's just so funny. I've never really heard of something dying because it got fed too much,"

"Shut up," he said sarcastically.

Molly stuck out her tongue.

* * *

"Now, I suppose yeh've all had Puffskiens before," Hagrid began as most people nodded their heads.

"So, what I'm goin' to teach yeh isn't all that new, but it's required curric'lum this year, what with the Min'stry crackin' down on Hogwarts an' all." There was a murmur of agreement through the crowd, mostly Gryffindors.

"Now, Puffskiens need ter be fed three times a day…" Molly burst into a fit of silent giggles. She nudged Neville.

"Psst. How many times a day _did_ you feed it?"

"Seven." He said meakly. She put her elbow on his shoulder. It was all Molly could do to keep from collapsing from laughter. Oddly, she wasn't nervous about touching him.

Later, Molly was sitting in the library pouring over Transfiguration homework. Ernie MacMillan strolled in.

"Hello there Molly. Right cheerful day," He said. His voice annoyed the crap out of her, but he was a nice kid.

"Hello, Ernie." Molly said. She closed her book and put it in her bag. This was going to be a while, considering his long-windedness **(A/N too bad if that's not a word, it is now)**.

"Right cheerful day," he said again.

"Uh, so you said."

"Would you like to take a stroll down to the lake with me?"

"Come again?"

"Would you like to take a stroll down to the Lake with me?"

"Er…I guess."

"Brilliant!"

Molly pushed back from the table, stood up, and stretched. They walked down to the Lake, Ernie trying to make small talk, and Molly trying twice as hard to keep up her end of the conversation. He was so clumsy, and Molly noticed he stumbled over his words a lot.

"Molly, do you, would you like to, you know…go to Hogsmeade with me this February?"

"Well, I'm going with Neville, but I suppose the three of us could go. As friends," she added. Molly herself couldn't figure out what he was getting at.

"Well, I meant, as, to go alone. With you. On…a date."

Molly almost choked on her words.

"A date?"

"Well, yeah…"

Molly was not good at this stuff.

"Er…" She remembered how much she wanted to go with Neville, to get some alone time with him. She had realized by now whatErnie meant.

"We don't have to…kiss or anything." Ernie turned bright red, and Molly almost had to slap herself to keep from laughing.

"Sounds good, I guess."

"Great! I have to go to Potions now, but I'll speak with you later?"

"Yeah."

"Righteo! February 14th it is then!" Ernie walked away.

Molly's heart skipped a beat. February 14th? Valentines Day? She had a chance to go to Hogsmeade with Neville on Valentines Day, and she threw it away? What was wrong with her?


	13. What was she Thinking?

Fine. Be that way. Nobody reviews me. I see how it is. The only review I got was from some arsehole:

**No Penname Provided:** **Screw you. You can't even write a review! Do you have anything better to do with your life? Jesus.**

**Anyhow…I need some people to review. Cause that person has made me lose faith in all of you. :-(**

**Well…I hope nobody likes this chapter. Sheesh.**

February 14 was fast approaching. Molly felt that sick feeling in her stomach everytime she saw Ernie and Neville. She had told Neville she couldn't go with him, because she was too soft-hearted to turn down Ernie's offer. He bugged her a lot, but he had good intentions, however naïve he was.

The one thing that bugged her the most.

"Hi Molly!"

"Uh, hi Ernie."

"Fancy meeting you here!" _Fancy that,_ thought Molly. _Only the fourth time today._ It was clear to her that he had memorized her schedule so that he could catch her during passing time. It was really kind of creepy.

"Yeah."

"Fine weather today," He said that all the time.

"It's hailing out," Molly was always rather blunt on these types of things.

"Is it really? I didn't know that," What had she gotten herself into?

All of a sudden, it was February 14th. Molly was so mad at herself. What had she gotten herself into?

"Are you ready to go?"

"Well yeah…"

"Brilliant! This is great!"

"Great!" Molly made an attempt at enthusiasm. What had she gotten herself into?

They walked down to Hogsmeade in a whirlwind embarrassed, muffled smalltalk.

"Fine—"

"Great weather."

"Exactly what I was going to say! Great minds think alike!"

"Yup."

"We have such great chemistry."

Molly almost choked.

"Uh…yeah."

Ernie tried to take her hand, but Molly decided suddenly that she had an itchy nose, and pulled away.

Ernie led her into Madame Puddifoot's.

"I hope you like it here."

Molly had only known of Madame Puddifoot's from Draco's accounts and when he had gone there with Pansy Parkinson. He said it was romantic. Molly would say it was a pink swirly deathtrap.

"Uh…yeah, it's great."

They sat down and Ernie ordered food.

"And what will you have, miss?"

"Oh, she doesn't need anything. We're going to share." Ernie said brightly.

"Actually…I _cough_ have a bit of a cold. I wouldn't want you to _cough_ catch it, so I'll order my own food. Thank you, though." Molly said.

"Oh, right."

They ate silently, until Molly looked across the room.

There sat…Neville…and Hannah Abbot.

**This one's wicked short, but I needed it to be. And I'm punishing you non-reviewers. :-)**


	14. Confessions

**Eh…I had to delete that last chappie. I guess it was pretty retarded to do an April Fools joke. Oh well.**

**Tra-La-La! If you remember a long time ago, I turned in that evil paper, and guess who got an A-! Woo-oop! Woo-oop! Moi! Pshah!**

Molly walked briskly out of Madame Puddifoot's, leaving an awestruck Ernie sitting by himself. Was Neville truly that dense? Couldn't he see that she was so madly in love with him? And Hannah! Molly told her that she liked Neville. And she sat there with Neville, holding _hands_!

Once in the privacy of the deserted girls' dormitory, Molly bawled her eyes out. After fuming about it all the way up to the castle, the depression set in, and the whole I'm-going-to-be-single-for-the-rest-of-my-life-because-nobody-loves-me thing reared its ugly head **(Does anybody ever feel this way? ;;)**.

As luck would have it, it wasn't a very long time that she was by herself.

"Greetings, scum," came the squealy voice of Pansy Parkinson.

"Can you ever leave anybody alone?" Molly tried desperately to cover her puffy eyes; the last thing she needed was for this girl to be making fun of her for crying.

"Why, is wittwe Miss Amewica cwying?"

"Sometimes, it's necessary for little Miss America to cry. Some of us actually have feelings and need to cry every now and then." Pansy was taken aback by this statement; she hadn't expected such a truthful and straightforward response. Some kindness deep inside her gave her the decency to leave Molly alone.

Molly remained in the girls' dormitory for the rest of the weekend. She did not eat, she did not sleep. She didn't even do her homework, a first for the teacher's pet.

Meanwhile, Luna, and Neville grew worried about their friend. Why hadn't they seen her all weekend?

Finally, when Monday came, Molly showed up for Transfiguration. Her hair was lank and silvery blond, her freckles were faded, and her eyes were hanging somewhere between green and grey.

"What happened to _you_?" said an astonished Luna.

"What?" Molly's eyes were puffy.

"Your hair, and your eyes—" but Luna didn't have any time to say anything else, for Professor McGonagall swept into the room. She took one look at Molly before grabbing her by the hand and pulling her out of her chair.

"Ms. O'Connor, Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you. Class is dismissed."

"Why? What did I do?" Molly said worriedly as the other happy students milled out of the room. Could the Headmaster himself have found out that she didn't do her homework? Was she going to get expelled? **(A/N These are my thoughts when I don't do my homework, lmao)**

"This is not the place," McGonagall said in a low voice. Instead of making her way to Dumbledore's office, she swept into her own office.

"What happened?" asked the professor.

"I'm sorry about my homework, I just—I just—" Molly didn't have time to finish her sentence, because McGonagall interrupted.

"I'm not worried about your homework right now. Your Metamorphmagal powers are wearing off. Obviously something is bothering you. Out with it!"

Molly sat there in awe. How was she supposed to explain to some dried up old lady that the guy she was madly in love with was at Hogsmeade with another girl?

"It's not important. I'll—I'll get over it."

"Obviously, it is important. Do you realize how depressed you have to be before a Metamorphmagus loses her ability to change her appearance?"

"Well, no…"

"Ms. O'Connor, it is apparent that something is bothering you. We need to solve it so you don't blow your cover."

"Well, there's…this…guy. But, I don't think you would really understand…"

"Why? Because I'm old? If you don't think that I've had boy trouble when I was your age—"

"No, no I don't think that," Molly was quick to defend herself. She didn't want to contradict a teacher.

"Then continue, please,"

Molly told her everything. She found it easier to talk to Professor McGonagall than say, Luna. She didn't press or pry, she just listened and was content with hearing what information Molly chose to give her. Which was everything.

"Thank you so much, and I'll turn in my homework tomorrow," Molly said, standing up and drying her eyes.

"You're welcome. Don't worry about the homework, turn it in next Monday, the same for any other homework you didn't do over the weekend." McGonagall squeezed her hand.

"Really! Thanks so much,"

"But mark my words, if you ever miss an assignment again--"

"No, you can be sure, I won't,"

"I didn't think you would, but all the same..."

"No, I won't. Thanks again!"

And the amazing part? McGonagall made it a little better. And she didn't even say anything while Molly was confessing.

**Don't review something stupid and say how corny this is that she poured out everything to a teacher. Cos it works. And I won't even bother to reply to something stupid as "dis is cornee y did she talk 2 da techar?" or even those of you who have better vocabulary. Someday, I will laugh when you people get ulcers because you aren't open about your feelings.**


	15. The Big Mouth

Dude…why aren't there any reviews? Come to think of it, I myself didn't get the "new chapter" e-mail…hmm…very weird…(twilight-zone!)

Molly sat at a desk in the library, working on Arithmancy homework.

"Hey Molly, I haven't seen you in a while." Came a voice.

Molly swiveled around to see Neville standing there.

"Oh, yeah, I've had a ton of homework."

"Same here. We were all worried about you!"

"Oh, I'm…really sorry."

"No it's fine, as long as you are ok."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Molly?"

"What?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

"What's that?"

"I don't love Hannah Abbott. I love you."

"Really? I…I love you too!"

And with that, Neville swept her off her feet and kissed her passionately.

"Molly? Moll-eee! Yoo-hoo!"

"Wha-I love you too Neville!" she shouted.

"What?"

"We kissed…"

"What are you talking about? Molly, are you sure you're O. K.? Should I take you to the Hospital Wing?"

"You mean nothing happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, you told me you loved me, and I told you I loved you too, and we kissed!"

"Molly, I have know clue what you are talking about."

"Oh god, I think I need to sit down."

"O. K., but I have to tell you, I've always considered you as a friend, and I'm really sorry if that disappoints you, but I'm going out with Hannah now."

"No, I understand, I'm just…" she sighed, "I see you as a friend, too. I…I get hallucinations sometimes." What a stupid lie! Now he would never like her!

"Hey, I know where you're coming from. I've been in your place a thousand times before. I just don't know how anybody could like me."

"What do you mean? You're so nice, and funny, and honest, and smart and…cute." _Oh shit, what did I just say?_ She added to herself.

"What? Look Molly, I don't quite know what you see in me, but I said so before. We can be friends."

"Um, O. K. I'm really sorry you had to hear that whole fantasy thing."

"No problem. Like I've said, I've been in your place a thousand times before. I just never blurted everything out in front of the girl."

Molly had to laugh. Neville gave her a hug.

"Friends?"

"Friends."

But Molly did notice he squeezed her a little harder than a friend would squeeze.

**I understand this one's kinda weird…**


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